Heating costs in winter and cooling costs in summer, nowadays, are very high and these costs a can be
reduced by the insulation of buildings. This study is related to the development of bio-based composites
and the determination of their thermal, mechanical and acoustical insulation properties. The composites
were prepared using corn stalk particles as the reinforcement components. An experimental design
was established to study the effect of the stalk particle size and the epoxy/corn stalk particle ratio on
the thermal and mechanical properties of the composites prepared. Their mechanical properties and
thermal performance characteristics are compared with the commercially available bio-based insulation
materials.
This study shows that waste corn-on-the-cob can be used for the reinforcement of epoxy resin to
prepare insulation materials that can be used commercially. Natural products of high insulating value
can be obtained that can provide alternative insulation materials and reduce the import of insulation
materials and satisfy the criteria of the Turkish Standard TS 805 EN 601. The results of this study can
solve two industrial problems. One of them is providing a new useful construction material and the other
is utilizing agricultural wastes to reduce their harm to the environment.